Man killed in apparent hit-and-run on Highway 1; dog riding in basket stays by his side

DAVENPORT - A man riding his bicycle was struck and killed on a bucolic stretch of Highway 1, just north of Wilder Ranch State Park, the victim of an apparent hit-and-run accident.

He lay there for as many as 12 hours, his body partially obscured by the thick vegetation, with his faithful canine companion refusing to leave his side.

Sometime between 10 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday, the man was hit by a car while riding his black painted bicycle near Coast Road with his small terrier mix riding in the crate he'd attached to the bike. It wasn't until 10:45 a.m. that his body was spotted, lying off the side of the northbound lane, where the area dips down slightly from the road. A passerby spotted the mangled bicycle, the dog and the body and called 911.

California Highway Patrol officers arrived soon after and discovered the man was dead. Headlight debris and other items were found in the vicinity and in the road, indications that he'd been struck by a car, according to officer Jarvis Opp. The dog's crate was also nearby.

As of Friday evening, officers hadn't released the man's name or place of residence. He's described as being a white male who appeared to be about 50 years old. When they found him, his dog was by his side, unharmed. The dog was picked up by officers from the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter for evaluation.

Melanie Sobel, the shelter's general manager, said Friday afternoon that the dog appeared to be uninjured. She said it looks to be a Cairn terrier mix of some kind, the same breed that played Toto in "The Wizard of Oz."

CHP officer Marty Contreras said the coroner estimated that the man's body had been lying there between eight and 12 hours, which would mean the accident occurred sometime either late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

The northbound lane of Highway 1 was closed in the immediate vicinity for part of the afternoon while officers searched for more evidence and took measurements in the area. It was opened around 4 p.m., according to CHP.

Based on the evidence accumulated, CHP believes the suspect vehicle is a 1999 or 2000 model sedan or small SUV, possibly green in color, with damage to the front end.

Contreras said anyone with information on the accident should contact him or CHP spokeswoman Sarah Jackson at 662-0511 Monday through Friday. After hours, CHP can be contacted at their Salinas dispatch, 796-2160.